This memorandum temporarily halts offshore wind energy leasing across the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) and pauses federal permitting for onshore and offshore wind projects pending comprehensive reviews. The stated goals include assessing environmental, economic, and navigational impacts of wind projects and addressing alleged deficiencies in prior environmental reviews. It also seeks to ensure U.S. energy policies prioritize cost-effectiveness, navigational safety, marine life conservation, and national security.
Key Provisions:
- Temporary Withdrawal of Offshore Areas:
- Withdraws all OCS areas from new or renewed wind energy leasing.
- Extends existing withdrawals until the memorandum is revoked.
- Existing leases remain valid but will undergo a review for possible amendments or terminations.
- Cessation of Wind Permitting and Leasing:
- Temporarily halts new federal approvals for onshore and offshore wind projects.
- Directs agencies to assess environmental and economic impacts of defunct windmills and their disposal.
- Focused Review on Lava Ridge Wind Project:
- Suspends operations under the Bureau of Land Management’s Record of Decision for the Lava Ridge Wind Project.
- Mandates comprehensive analysis of public interests and environmental impacts.
- Legal Coordination:
- Authorizes the Attorney General to request litigation stays or relief in related cases.
Historical Context and Precedent
Relation to Previous Policies:
- Biden Administration: Expanded offshore wind leasing as part of climate action and clean energy goals, initiating projects like Vineyard Wind.
- Trump Administration: Resisted renewable energy initiatives, favoring fossil fuel development and curbing environmental regulations.
- This memorandum reverses efforts by previous administrations to prioritize offshore wind as a key component of the U.S. energy transition.
Implications:
- Signals a shift from renewable energy to traditional energy dominance.
- Aligns with skepticism of federal climate policy mandates and industry subsidies.
Broader Policy Context
Connection to Project 2025:
- Alignment with Deregulation: Echoes Project 2025’s objectives of reducing federal intervention in energy markets and rolling back environmental policies deemed burdensome to industry.
- Energy Sovereignty: Prioritizes fossil fuels and conventional energy sources over renewables.
- Economic Conservatism: Focuses on cost efficiency and reduced subsidies for green energy.
Governance Trends:
- Reflects nationalist tendencies by emphasizing energy independence.
- Challenges the globalization of energy supply chains through scrutiny of renewable projects.
Predicted Outcomes
Practical Effects:
- Economic Impact:
- Increased reliance on fossil fuels could temporarily stabilize energy prices but risks delaying the clean energy transition.
- Communities relying on renewable energy development may face economic setbacks.
- Environmental Impact:
- Potential harm to climate goals as wind projects are delayed or halted.
- Increased scrutiny of defunct windmills highlights long-term disposal and community costs.
Sector-Specific Predictions:
- Energy Markets:
- Fossil fuel sectors may gain short-term investment advantages.
- Wind energy industry faces uncertainty and project delays.
- Marine and Wildlife Protection:
- Temporary relief for ecosystems affected by wind projects.
- Risks undermining U.S. commitments to renewable energy-related emissions reduction targets.
State and Public Reactions
Legal Challenges:
- Probability: 100%
- Coastal states (e.g., California, Massachusetts) are likely to challenge the withdrawal as counterproductive to climate and economic goals.
- Environmental groups may litigate, citing violations of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).
Public Sentiment:
- Environmental advocates will likely mobilize protests, while fossil fuel interest groups may applaud the measure.
Federal-State Relations:
- Strained relations with renewable energy-committed states could escalate into broader energy policy disputes.
Interrelated Impacts
- Energy Policy: Cascading delays for renewable projects could ripple into national energy independence strategies.
- Economic Policy: The decision may reinforce an “energy dominance” narrative, countering global renewable trends.
- Climate Policy: Risks compromising international commitments under agreements like the Paris Climate Accord.
Legal and Constitutional Considerations
Potential Challenges:
- NEPA Violations: Allegations of insufficient consideration of environmental impacts before halting projects.
- Economic Liberty Concerns: Challenges by stakeholders in the wind energy sector over financial losses.
- Interstate Commerce Clause: Disputes over federal preemption of state-led renewable energy programs.
Global Implications
- International Climate Goals: May weaken U.S. credibility in global climate leadership.
- Trade Relations: Offshore wind supply chain disruptions could affect economic ties with wind technology-exporting nations.
- The White House – Presidential Memoranda
- New York Times – Offshore Wind Policy Developments
- EPA – Environmental Reviews
- Bloomberg – Renewable Energy Industry Reactions
- Department of Energy – Energy Policies
Expanded Probability Estimates with Defined Outcomes
| Outcome | Probability | Detailed Possibilities |
|---|---|---|
| Legal Challenges | 100% | – Coastal states such as California, Massachusetts, and New York are likely to file lawsuits opposing the suspension of offshore wind leasing, citing climate goals and economic interests. – Environmental groups may sue under NEPA, arguing that the federal government failed to adequately justify the withdrawal. – Legal battles over contract rights for existing leases could arise from stakeholders affected by increased scrutiny and potential cancellations. |
| Public Backlash | 90% | – Environmental activists and climate advocacy groups will likely organize protests and awareness campaigns. – Communities relying on renewable energy jobs or infrastructure investments may voice concerns over lost opportunities. – Opposition from renewable energy industry stakeholders, including manufacturers, developers, and unions supporting clean energy jobs, is anticipated. |
| State Resistance | 80% | – States with aggressive renewable energy mandates (e.g., California, New Jersey) may explore legal or policy countermeasures, including state-level permitting expansions to bypass federal roadblocks. – Coastal states might establish their own renewable energy development funds to mitigate federal policy shifts. – Collaborative opposition from state coalitions advocating for offshore wind development could emerge, further straining federal-state relations. |
| Economic Disruptions | 75% | – Delays in wind energy projects may lead to job losses in the renewable energy sector and supply chain. – Potential impacts on energy prices if renewable options are restricted, forcing greater reliance on fossil fuels. – Investment uncertainty could deter private sector commitments to offshore wind initiatives, stalling growth in the clean energy industry. |
| Marine and Wildlife Protections | 60% | – Short-term relief for marine ecosystems and migratory bird populations previously impacted by wind turbines. – Conservation groups may use the pause to advocate for stricter environmental standards for future projects. – Potential for new, comprehensive studies on the environmental effects of wind projects to reshape future energy policy. – Fishing industry groups could leverage this pause to push for longer-term protections. |
The text as it appears on Whitehouse.gov as of 01-21-2025
MEMORANDUM FOR THE SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL
THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
THE SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE
THE SECRETARY OF ENERGY
THE ADMINISTRATOR OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
AGENCY
SUBJECT: Temporary Withdrawal of All Areas on the Outer
Continental Shelf from Offshore Wind Leasing and
Review of the Federal Government’s Leasing and
Permitting Practices for Wind Projects
Section 1. Temporary Withdrawal of Areas. Consistent with the principles of responsible public stewardship that are entrusted to this office, with due consideration for a variety of relevant factors, including the need to foster an energy economy capable of meeting the country’s growing demand for reliable energy, the importance of marine life, impacts on ocean currents and wind patterns, effects on energy costs for Americans –- especially those who can least afford it –- and to ensure that the United States is able to maintain a robust fishing industry for future generations and provide low cost energy to its citizens, I hereby direct as follows:
Under the authority granted to me in section 12(a) of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, 43 U.S.C. 1341(a), I hereby withdraw from disposition for wind energy leasing all areas within the Offshore Continental Shelf (OCS) as defined in section 2 of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, 43 U.S.C. 1331. This withdrawal shall go into effect beginning on January 21, 2025, and shall remain in effect until this Presidential Memorandum is revoked.
To the extent that an area is already withdrawn from disposition for wind energy leasing, the area’s withdrawal is extended for a time period beginning on January 21, 2025, until this Presidential Memorandum is revoked.
This withdrawal temporarily prevents consideration of any area in the OCS for any new or renewed wind energy leasing for the purposes of generation of electricity or any other such use derived from the use of wind. This withdrawal does not apply to leasing related to any other purposes such as, but not limited to, oil, gas, minerals, and environmental conservation.
Nothing in this withdrawal affects rights under existing leases in the withdrawn areas. With respect to such existing leases, the Secretary of the Interior, in consultation with the Attorney General as needed, shall conduct a comprehensive review of the ecological, economic, and environmental necessity of terminating or amending any existing wind energy leases, identifying any legal bases for such removal, and submit a report with recommendations to the President, through the Assistant to the President for Economic Policy.
Sec. 2. Temporary Cessation and Immediate Review of Federal Wind Leasing and Permitting Practices. (a) In light of various alleged legal deficiencies underlying the Federal Government’s leasing and permitting of onshore and offshore wind projects, the consequences of which may lead to grave harm , including negative impacts on navigational safety interests, transportation interests, national security interests, commercial interests, and marine mammals , and in light of potential inadequacies in various environmental reviews required by the National Environmental Policy Act to lease or permit wind projects, the Secretary of the Interior, the Secretary of Agriculture, the Secretary of Energy, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, and the heads of all other relevant agencies, shall not issue new or renewed approvals, rights of way, permits, leases, or loans for onshore or offshore wind projects pending the completion of a comprehensive assessment and review of Federal wind leasing and permitting practices. The Secretary of the Interior shall lead that assessment and review in consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury, the Secretary of Agriculture, the Secretary of Commerce, through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Secretary of Energy, and the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency. The assessment shall consider the environmental impact of onshore and offshore wind projects upon wildlife, including, but not limited to, birds and marine mammals. The assessment shall also consider the economic costs associated with the intermittent generation of electricity and the effect of subsidies on the viability of the wind industry.
(b) In light of criticism that the Record of Decision (ROD) issued by the Bureau of Land Management on December 5, 2024, with respect to the Lava Ridge Wind Project Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), as approved by the Department of the Interior, is allegedly contrary to the public interest and suffers from legal deficiencies, the Secretary of the Interior shall, as appropriate, place a temporary moratorium on all activities and rights of Magic Valley Energy, LLC, or any other party under the ROD, including, but not limited to, any rights-of-way or rights of development or operation of any projects contemplated in the ROD. The Secretary of the Interior shall review the ROD and, as appropriate, conduct a new, comprehensive analysis of the various interests implicated by the Lava Ridge Wind Project and the potential environmental impacts.
(c) The Secretary of the Interior, the Secretary of Energy, and the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency shall assess the environmental impact and cost to surrounding communities of defunct and idle windmills and deliver a report to the President, through the Assistant to the President for Economic Policy, with their findings and recommended authorities to require the removal of such windmills.
(d) The Attorney General may, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law, provide notice of this order to any court with jurisdiction over pending litigation related to any aspect of the Federal leasing or permitting of onshore or offshore wind projects or the Lava Ridge Wind Project, and may, in the Attorney General’s discretion, request that the court stay the litigation or otherwise delay further litigation, or seek other appropriate relief consistent with this order, pending the completion of the actions described in subsection (a) or subsection (b) of this section, as applicable.
This memorandum shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
This memorandum is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person. You are authorized and directed to publish this memorandum in the Federal Register.
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